Glenford Farms Uses Maple Syrup to Make an Impact

A former leader of Knowledge Investment Partners, Robert Daugherty is the executive dean of the Forbes School of Business and Technology. Robert Daugherty has extensive experience serving on corporate boards, developing strategic priorities, and advising private equity firms such as Knowledge Investment Partners. In recent years, Mr. Daugherty launched a campaign to resurrect maple syrup production at a family farm in Ohio to raise money for charitable organizations. 

Maple syrup harvesters at Glenford Farms in Ohio have unearthed a recipe that originated more than 200 years ago. The family recipe is a handcrafted, artisan syrup that is sought for its superior taste. 

The proceeds from all sales are donated to a variety of charities that support farmers, education, and freedom. One of the charitable organizations is Girl Effect, a creative nonprofit that helps girls around the world.

Girl Effect uses media, mobile apps, and television to build youth brands that make a powerful impact in different cultures. The organization takes special care to research its markets so that the brands are deeply rooted in an understanding of the local culture.

Girl Effect operates brands in Malawi, Ethiopia, and Rwanda. The organization works to improve the cultural views of girls and their potential and help girls value themselves.

Benjamin Graham’s Pioneering Value Investing Approach

With an extensive background in international business consulting, Robert Daugherty served as Knowledge Investment Partners head and engages as executive dean of the Forbes School of Business & Technology. Robert Daugherty has authored numerous articles in his area of expertise, including a recent piece in Forbes China on the 100 all-time best business books.

In putting together the list, Mr. Daugherty considered input from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and corporate CEOs as well as business school deans, faculty members, and authors in the private equity sphere.

Including seminal works by Charlie Munger and Warren Buffet, the list begins with a pioneering 1949 book by Benjamin Graham, The Intelligent Investor. At the core of Graham’s value investing approach is the concept of avoiding risk by undertaking extensive evaluation of all companies being considered as investment vehicles.

Having been integral in drafting the Securities Act of 1933, which required companies to produce independent accountant-certified financial statements, Graham was one of the first investors to employ financial analysis as virtually the sole gauge of investment worthiness.

A central facet of Graham’s approach involved seeking out shares of firms that traded for significantly less than their expected value should the company be liquidated. As private investors had the luxury of not being fully invested, they could wait until advantageous situations arose before taking a position This is called "use market" psychology, and is still an important foundation of some financial strategies to this day.

2019 Marketplace Growth Driven By Security, Blockchain Technologies

A former leader of Knowledge Investment Partners, Robert Daugherty directs the Forbes School of Business & Technology as executive dean. Maintaining a close watch on the financial industry, Robert Daugherty has guided various funds focused on high growth and technology-based verticals.

With technology valuation getting off to a rocky start in 2019 with Apple’s reduction of its holiday forecast amid slowing iPhone sales, industry watchers still find abundant upside in a sector that will continue to define human activity for the foreseeable future. 

One fast-moving sector is online security, with new regulatory mandates as well as end user concerns driving demand for companies that can deliver effective, cost-efficient solutions. Businesses that can develop and implement innovative data privacy and protection systems are well positioned for rapid growth.

Another continued area of growth is in ledgered Blockchain technologies that have the capacity to generate verifiable and difficult-to-hack liquidity in previously illiquid assets. This is seen as ultimately leading to the creation of region-agnostic stock exchanges and financial marketplaces for new classes of assets.